MUA for the day! A 1950’s photo shoot!

Makeup artistry is something I take a keen interest in but hold no formal qualifications for and I do not claim to be an expert! The industry itself is said to be ‘portfolio based’ and I am still keen to learn and develop the basic skills I have which is in terms of applying my own makeup, be it for daytime, evening or special event including dance competition makeup and perhaps taking it further. My goal for next year is to take a qualification but in the mean time, practising, watching tutorials, reading as much as I can and researching courses is what I am currently doing.

I was offered an amazing opportunity to practice the basic makeup skills that I do have and work to a 1950s brief for a planned photoshoot which was a personal project for a friend of mine, my Dance Teacher and Professional Photographer Fredric Frennessen. Over the years I have had a series of photos taken by Fredric …. dance photos, family shoots, portrait shoots, fun theme shoots but this time I had the chance to actually apply the makeup to the model in question for his professional 1950’s shoot! I was going to be ‘Makeup Artist for the day’!

Using Pinterest , youtube and general internet sources the ideas came together and I needed to plan what makeup I would be using and how it might look on camera! This was something I had no vast knowledge of ….. knowing how products behave on the skin under photographic light may not be my expertise, but I at least have an idea!

Luckily for me, the model, Camilla, is also a friend of mine who I know through dancing so you could class it as having perhaps a ‘soft audience’ in terms of excusing my ‘trial and error’ kind of approach as I had a few options on products to use and made up my mind as I went through!

The experience itself was a learning curve in that there were products that I thought would work really well…that really didn’t! This wasn’t necessarily due to the product itself but when applying makeup to someone else rather than myself, getting in on angles with things like eyeliner for example is different! It just happened to be that the 1950’s eyeliner was pretty much one MAJOR focus of the makeup…no pressure there hey??

1950’s style makeup is very classic. Camilla really suits this era and her skin tone and full lips provide a perfect canvas to work to script.

Face

1950’s was all about flawless skin and powder was a big thing! Liquid foundation plus powder to set is still providing the ultimate base makeup today but I wanted to be careful about not making Camilla’s face look flat on camera, yet still achieve a look that didn’t involve more recent makeup trends like over contouring and highlighting with shimmer!! Following a primer, foundation and setting powder, I used a bronzer to ever so lightly contour under Camilla’s cheekbones to give a bit of definition and complete it with a pop of a pink blush.

Brow shape and thickness has really gone through the most dramatic of changes and in my view, still continue to do so!! Brows in the 50s were full yet shaped. I followed Camilla’s natural brow shape but filling in and adding a bit of volume and a subtle highlight in the arch of the brow to give the higher arched look.

With the focus being on the bold eyeliner of the time, I kept the eyelids minimalistic with a very light eyeshadow on the lid and a warm crease colour to again give a bit of definition to the eye shape.

This was where I learnt about the products I was using and their ease of use. My initial thought was to use my Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner and a brush … this proved quite difficult in achieving the correct shape and definitive point on the flick. Urban Decay’s Razor sharp eyeliner however saved the day which given this is my go-to eyeliner, looking back I should have started with this!! Liquid eyeliner, coupled with the thin brush allowed for easier and more fluid control!

You did do well. The make up looks stunning. I love the bright lip. I know what you mean about someone else’s Face being difficult, when lily asks me to do her Make up the contours of her face are so different from mine it’s like a landscape you’re not used to! my eyes aren’t the right shape for a flick sadly, just looks weird!
Lovely post and gorgeous photos. Love it. Xx

I was actually just the makeup artist for the day …. I’m not a trained MUA so this was my first attempt at some practice before I train!! Thank you, it was a fun shoot and the era really does suit my friend xx

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